Fragile with age but infinitely precious ... Andrew Tink with a copy of Algernon Sidney's document. Photo: Wolter Peeters

It is all about the naming of Sydney. It is common knowledge it was named after Lord Sydney, the British Secretary of State for Home Affairs at the time of settlement, and some have wondered a little at it.

It certainly intrigued the late actor Robert Morley, who said: "Funny name. I'm surprised they didn't call it Burt."

But it is a little more complicated than that, and Mr Tink, a parliamentarian for 19 years, indulging in his passion for history and writing, has traced the origin of the name right back to Algernon Sidney.

That was right back – in 1683 – when one Algernon Sidney, who had offended Charles II for questioning the divine right of kings and trying to overthrow Charles, prepared for his execution.

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Before putting his neck on the block he delivered a document to his executioner.

It said: "God has left nations unto the liberty of setting up such governments as best pleased themselves [and] Magistrates were set up for the good of Nations, not Nations for the honour and glory of Magistrates."

The king's men could cut off Algernon's head, but they could not stop his ideas.

Just days later, Mr Tink records in his book, copies of a document were printed.

A publication called The Very Copy of a Paper delivered to the Sheriffs upon the Scaffold on Tower-hill on Friday, December 7, 1683 by Algernon Sidney before his execution there were circulating all over London.

Mr Tink has acquired a copy, fragile with age but infinitely precious, from a London bookseller.

The ideas were destined to go far beyond London. They were sent to the president of Harvard College. Published in more substantial form 15 years after Sidney's execution, they had a profound effect on Benjamin Franklin and others of America's founding fathers.

At the time, one of Charles II's many supporters, Horatio Townshend, congratulated the King on his firmness. But Horatio's great-grandson, Tommy Townshend, looked on Sidney as the hero.

Townshend was no minor player. He was a member of the British Parliament for nearly 50 years, took the unpopular choice of supporting the Americans in the Anglo-American war and, as secretary of state for colonies for home affairs, dealt with American peace negotiations.

"When he was one of about 50 MPs out of 500 taking that stand, taking it up to a wartime government, Townshend developed enormous respect for him," Mr Tink said.

Townshend, appointed home secretary by an incoming government, was offered a peerage by King George III for his part in settling the peace with the Americans.

Townshend first proposed that he be called "Lord Sidney" in honour of Algernon.

He discovered that other branches of his family might have a prior claim on it. He then suggested he be called "Lord Sydenham", after a village near his home in Kent. Then he settled on becoming "Lord Sydney of Chislehurst", Chislehurst being a village in Kent.

When governor Arthur Phillip established a settlement on the shores of Port Jackson, he named the inlet "Sydney Cove" in honour of the home secretary.